It’s holiday party time, and you’ve been asked to bring a beverage, appetizer or dessert. Consider one of these local foodie products that will be sure to impress at that next soiree. Or bring one along as a gift for your host or hostess. They’ll be thanking you!

BARE HONEY

Bare Honey (Pioneer Press: Nancy Ngo)

Since launching six years ago, this St. Paul outfit has become known for keeping it nice and simple with its pure, raw, natural local honey infused with one spice. Several varieties are offered, including raw wildflower, vanilla bean and cinnamon honey. New this season is a chocolate honey spread.

Honey spreads, $7.99, 10 ounces; mini-Santa honey bears, $2.49 each; $3 for wrapping option — white gift box, ribbon and wooden honey dipper; barehoney.com. Available at several markets, including Golden Fig and Mississippi Markets in St. Paul as well as Fresh and Natural in Shoreview and Oxendale’s in West St. Paul. Also available at Kowalski’s, Whole Foods and Fresh Thyme markets.

Shopping at this quaint downtown St. Paul spot is half the fun. The chocolatiers make decadent artisan truffles and other chocolates, while emphasizing the health benefits of chocolate. In addition to quality chocolates, ingredients include local butter and cream but no preservatives or corn syrup. Choose from several varieties, such as mint, raspberry, Himalayan caramel and classic.

TATTERSALL AQUAVIT

Tattersall Aquavit (Courtesy photo)

What better time to pay an ode to the popular holiday spirit of Scandinavia. Tattersall’s caraway-forward aquavit made with an organic corn base and 15 botanicals has layers of refreshing flavors. It’s easy to see why this aquavit won American Distilling Institute Spirits competition’s Best in Category, Best in Class and Double-Gold last year. Enjoy straight up or as a substitute for vodka. Or, make Tattersall’s Autumn Scandi recipe:

1.5 ounces Tattersall Aquavit

.75 ounce Tattersall Cranberry Liqueur

.5 ounce lime juice

1.25 ounces tonic water

Lime wedge

Pour aquavit, cranberry liqueur and lime juice over ice and shake. Strain into a Collins glass over ice and top with tonic water. Garnish with a lime wedge. Or pre-batch ahead of time and add the tonic shortly before serving to preserve carbonation.

($30, 750-ml bottle); tattersalldistilling.com. Widely available, including Morelli’s and Lowertown Wine & Spirits in St. Paul as well as Lunds & Byerlys, Kowalskis, Haskell’s, MGM and Total Wine stores.

RED TABLE MEATS

Salami from Red Table Meat Co. (Courtesy photo)

Award-winning Red Table Meat Co. butchers pigs on site and churns out salamis, coppa, pancetta and other varieties as fresh and tasty as can be. For assembling that charcuterie board, we’re fans of the small caliber salami that pairs well with cheeses. Timing is key when shopping for this salami. We found that it can sell out before the next batch hits stores, so it might be worth calling ahead before making a trip.

If you want to see things in action, head to the Food Building in Northeast Minneapolis, where Red Table Meats and other local producers make their product. The building is open for self-guided tours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. You may even catch Red Table Meat Co. founder Mike Phillips butchering a pig or stuffing salami. Select Red Table meats, including the salami, can be purchased at the Draft Horse restaurant, also in the Food Building.

LUCILLE’S KITCHEN GARDEN JAM

Lucille’s Kitchen Garden jam (Pioneer Press: Nancy Ngo)

The St. Paul company’s gourmet jams are always unique, always memorable. Our favorites are the pepper jams, balancing sweet with a little kick. Pour over baked brie or cream cheese and serve with crackers. Or, use as an accompaniment to salmon, smoked trout or lamb. The jam is located in the specialty cheese sections at local markets, so don’t waste your time in the jam-and-jelly aisle. When ordering online during the holiday rush, allow 10 to 14 business days.

($7.99; lucilleskitchengarden.com). Available at area markets, including at Kowalski’s, Lunds and Byerlys, Mississippi Markets, Whole Food and Hy-Vee.

VOYAGEUR FROM ALEXIS BAILLY VINEYARD

Alexis Bailly Voyageur wine (Courtesy photo)

While some local wines might be on the sweet side, Alexis Bailly Vineyard out of Hastings tends to create more dry wines. We’re fond of the Voyageur, a dry red table wine that goes great with hearty dishes. The blend incorporates Marechal Foch and Leon Millot grape varieties from France that owner Nan Bailly’s father originally planted on the grounds. Those, blended with Minnesota’s cold hardy Frontenac grape, make for a robust wine with hints of blackberry and smoky vanilla. If it’s too much of a splurge, look for other Alexis Bailly wines also available at stores throughout the Twin Cities.

SARTORI MONTAMORE

MontAmore from Sartori cheese (Courtesy photo)

Champagne tastes without breaking the bank. Those sweet and tangy notes. That crunch from calcium-lactate crystals, the sign of a well-aged cheese. Those are among the features that made us — and the guests we served it to — fall in love with MontAmoré. Serve this cheese out of Plymouth, Wis., with a Beaujolais, light Italian red, pale ale or stout. Also pair with artisan bread, dried nuts and olives.

($8, 7 ounces); sartoricheese.com. Available at several locations, including Lunds & Byerlys, Cub Foods, Kowalski’s and Cheese Brothers, the new cheese shop at the Mall of America.

A GOURMET THYME SHORTBREAD

Gourmet Thyme shortbread (Pioneer Press: Nancy Ngo)

Looking for hors d’oeuvres or snack options? This St. Paul company’s buttery shortbreads can be served alone or dressed up with toppings such as cheese or salmon. You can’t go wrong with any of the several varieties offered, including the pistachio shortbread.

GRAY DUCK CHAI

Gray Duck Chai (Pioneer Press: Nancy Ngo)

A spiced up alternative to coffee, tea or hot chocolate, locally produced Gray Duck Chai can be found at coffee shops across the nation. If you want to make it at home, this small batch chai with blends made from organic, fair-trade tea from the Assam region of India, also has a bottled version available in stores. A few varieties are available. We like the Nine Spice Blend made with traditional masala spices that include notes of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, clove and ginger. To make, mix three parts of the blend with one part milk, heat and serve warm. Great served with shortbread or butter cookies.

CHOWGIRLS KILLER PARTY FOOD COOKBOOK

With party season in full gear, this cookbook from local catering company Chowgirls offers appetizer, small plates and cocktail ideas for serving large crowds with ease. From Mango Chicken Salad to Iron Range Pasties, recipes in this book have a contemporary spin. And with bites serving 30 or more, recipes have cooking for a crowd in mind.

($22.95); chowgirls.net. Available through arsenalpulp.com or at Patina, Bibelot, Kitchen Window and Barnes & Noble stores. Also available at Magers & Quinn, East Side Food Co-op and Content Books in Northfield.

Nancy Ngo is a Minnesota native who grew up reading the Pioneer Press, so it’s fitting that she would one day work for them. She is a three-time Society of Professional Journalists Page One Award winner. Before covering food and lifestyle, she has previously covered government and public safety. She has served on boards including the Asian American Journalists Association and The University of Minnesota’s The School of Journalism and Mass Communication Alumni Society Board.

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